Baseball: Checking in on the local pros at the midseason mark

Hopewell Junction's Joe Panik, a star for the San Francisco Giants, returned to New York healthy, recently wed and happy to see his family, even if that includes doing chores.
Stephen Haynes/Poughkeepsie Journal

Every June, we see ballplayers with local ties being selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. A few have made it all the way to The Show, while many are still fighting to climb the ladder. Ever wonder how they're doing?

We sought out to answer that question. By going back and looking at all of the draft classes since 2012, we were able to identify which locals are still playing professionally and check on their progress.

There are currently four players from the Lower Hudson Valley in the majors, while several others are working their way up in the minors. It's too soon to analyze what the 2017 class has accomplished, but there is one newly drafted player we included because he's off to an especially fast start.

Here you'll find updates on what many of the most notable players have done so far this season. Please note that all statistics listed are prior to games played on Friday, July 7.

Big-leaguers

May 28, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cincinnati Reds right fielder Patrick Kivlehan (3) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting his second home run of the game during the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Reds defeated the Phillies, 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports(Photo: Eric Hartline, Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

Pat Kivlehan

Team: Cincinnati Reds

Hometown: West Nyack

High school: St. Joseph's in Montvale, NJ (‘08)

Update:In his first full season as a major-leaguer, the 27-year-old has stuck as a utility man, playing mostly as a backup outfielder. He was hitting .263 on June 24, but has slumped of late and dropped his batting average to .217. In 92 at-bats, he’s hit five homers and driven in 12 runs. He was drafted out of Rutgers by the Seattle Mariners in 2012 and has also played in the San Diego and Texas organizations.

(Photo: The Associated Press)

Tom Koehler

Team: Miami Marlins

Hometown: New Rochelle

High school: New Rochelle (‘04)

Update:The elder statesman among active local players, the 31-year-old right-handed pitcher is a six-year veteran who has faced some adversity this season. He got off to a shaky start and went on the disabled list on May 18 with bursitis in his throwing shoulder. He returned to the Marlins on July 1 and didn’t make it through the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers, but bounced back by allowing three runs on four hits with seven strikeouts over five innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday. For the season, Koehler is 1-4 with an 8.00 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 45 innings pitched. He has a career ERA of 4.39.

(Photo: The Associated Press)

Joe Panik

Team: San Francisco Giants

Hometown: Born in Yonkers, raised in Hopewell Junction

High school: John Jay-East Fishkill (‘08)

Update: The only active local player to win a World Series (2014) and make an All-Star team (2015), the 26-year-old has been the Giants’ starting second baseman for the past four seasons. He’s currently hitting .277 with five homers, 27 RBI and 37 runs scored, but has been heating up of late. The 2011 first-round pick out of St. John's hit .356 for the month of June and has a career batting average of .279.

Miami Marlins pitcher Chris O'Grady, a Congers native and Clarkstown North graduate, made his major league debut on Saturday, July 9th against the San Francisco Giants at San Francisco.(Photo: Ben Margot, AP)

Chris O’Grady

Parent club: Miami Marlins

Hometown: Congers

High school: Clarkstown North ('08)

Update: The 27-year-old left-handed pitcher has been converted from reliever to starter this season at Triple-A New Orleans and has had some success, enough in that he was called up by the Marlins on Saturday and made his major league debut that night against the San Francisco Giants.

At New Orleans, he’s pitched at least six innings in each of his last five starts and has not allowed more than three runs in any of those outings. For the season, O’Grady is 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings.

Down on the farm

Robbie Aviles

Parent club: Cleveland Indians

Hometown: Suffern

High school: Suffern ('10)

Update: It's been a long road since having Tommy John surgery as a senior in high school, but the 25-year-old right-handed pitcher was promoted to Triple-A Columbus on June 30 and now sits one step away from the majors. In 35 1/3 innings pitched with Double-A Akron, Aviles went 4-1 with a 3.57 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.

Springfield Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader (5) reacts after hitting a fly out during first inning action of the Texas League playoff game between the Springfield Cardinals and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at Hammons FIeld in Springfield, Mo. on Sept. 8, 2016.(Photo: Guillermo Hernandez Martinez/News-Leader)

Harrison Bader

Parent club: St. Louis Cardinals

Hometown: Bronxville

High school: Horace Mann (‘12)

Update: The 23-year-old outfielder is having a strong season at Triple-A Memphis and is knocking on the door for a big-league call-up. The University of Florida product is hitting .303 with 17 homers, 50 runs scored and 43 RBI in 82 games and is ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the Cardinals’ system by Baseball America.

Corey Baker

Parent club: St. Louis Cardinals

Hometown: New City

High school: Clarkstown South ('07)

Update: After representing Team Israel at the World Baseball Classic (and picking up a win in his lone appearance in the tournament), the 27-year-old right-handed pitcher has had a strong start in Double-A ball this season.

The reliever, pitching for the Springfield Cardinals in the Texas League, had made 24 appearances so far and is tied for the team lead with five saves. With an ERA of 2.43 in 37 innings pitched, he will be looking to get called back up to Triple-A, where he made one appearance last season.

Update: Even though he was drafted only a few weeks ago, the 20-year-old catcher is already making an impression. The University of Michigan product was assigned to the Braves’ rookie ball club in Danville, Virginia, where he has five homers and 11 RBI in just 12 games.

Colin Moran of the Houston Astros poses for a portrait on February 26, 2015 at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida. Moran was called up by the Astros on May 17, 2016.(Photo: Elsa, Getty Images)

Colin Moran

Parent club: Houston Astros

Hometown: Rye

High school: Iona Prep (‘10)

Update: Like Bader, the 24-year-old third baseman is making his case for a call-up to The Show. The 2013 first-round pick of the Miami Marlins came to the Astros in a trade and is currently hitting .300 with 17 homers and 61 RBI with Triple-A Fresno. The University of North Carolina product was recently named to the Triple-A All-Star game, but is being blocked by a glut of third base talent at the big-league level.

Jeffry Parra

Parent club: San Francisco Giants

Hometown: Pomona

High school: Ramapo (‘16)

Update: Last year’s Journal News/lohud Rockland player of the year is playing catcher at Single-A Salem-Keizer, where he has been noted for his defensive prowess and strong arm behind the plate. At only 19 years old, Parra is experiencing some growing pains at the plate, hitting .170 through 15 games played.

Mariano Rivera III

Parent club: Washington Nationals

Hometown: Harrison

High school: Iona Prep (‘12)

Update: The son of legendary Yankee closer Mariano Rivera has experienced some struggles in his third professional season. Playing with Single-A Potomac, the 23-year-old right-handed pitcher out of Iona College has posted a 6.11 ERA and 1.57 WHIP with 20 strikeouts in 28 innings while working as a reliever.